Toilet paper dispenser

ABSTRACT

A toilet paper dispenser is disclosed in which two rolls of toilet paper may be mounted on the two free ends of a rod-form support. At any one time one of these two rolls is enclosed in the housing of the dispenser by means of a displaceable covering wall, whereas paper may be withdrawn from the other roll. The rolls are retained on the support by side walls of a housing cover which approach the free ends of the support. Small gaps between these side walls and the ends of the support allow removal of a practically empty roll core, but not of a full roll. As long as the uncovered roll is retained by the respective side wall this roll in turn prevents a movable abutment member from being moved out of a center position in which this abutment member radially projects from the support and cooperates with stop surfaces on the displaceable covering wall to preclude uncovering of the covered roll. Thus the covered roll can be uncovered only when the empty core of the other roll can be removed, allowing motion of the abutment means. A fresh roll may thereafter be inserted in place of the removed empty core, and this fresh roll will then, of course, be covered by the covering wall. Apart from the covering wall which may be displaced to either side the dispenser is symmetrical in relation to a central plane at right angles to the support.

United States Patent Schnyder et a l. [451 Apr. 18, 1972 [54] TOILET PAPER DISPENSER Primary Examiner-Le onardD. Christian [72] lnventors: Conrad W. Schnyder, 9497 Triesenberg, Attorney-Arnold Robmson Liechtenstein; Katrin Schnyder, Germaniastrasse 64, 8006 Zurich, both of Switzerland 221 Filed: Jan. 5, 1971 211 Appl.No.: 104,022

30 Foreign Application Priority Data Aug. 24,1970 Switzerland. ..l2639/70 Jan.6, 1970 Switzerland ..47/70 52 user ..242/ss.3 511 meet ..B65h 19/04 [58 FieldofSearch ..242/55.2,55.3,55.53

[56] References Cited Sieber ..242/55. 3

57 ABSTRACT A toilet paper dispenser is disclosed in which two rolls of toilet paper may be mounted on the two free ends of a rod-form support. At any one time one of these two rolls is enclosed in the housing of the dispenser by means of a displaceable covering wall, whereas, paper may be withdrawn from the other roll. The rolls are retained on the support by side walls of a housing cover which approach the free ends of the support. Small gaps between these side walls and the ends of the support allow removal of a practically empty roll core, butnot of a full roll. As long as the uncovered roll is retained by the respectiveside wall this roll'in turn prevents a movable abutment member from being moved out of a center position in which this abutment member radially projects from the support and cooperates with stop surfaces on the displaceable covering wall to preclude'uncovering of the covered roll. Thus the covered roll can be uncovered only when the empty core of the other roll can be removed, allowing motion of the abutment means. A fresh roll may thereafter be inserted in place of the removed empty core, and this fresh roll will then, of

, course,.be covered by-the covering wall. Apartfrom the covering wall which may be displaced to either side the dispenser is symmetrical in relation to a central plane at right angles to the support.

5 imsfl w qs F u 7 PATENTEDAPR 1 8 I972 SHEET 10F 4 PATENTEUAPR 18 m2 Fig. 2

PATENTEDAPR 18 m2 SHEET 30F 4 Fig. 4

Fig. 5

rorua'r PAPER DISPENSER In public toilets it is common to provide, in addition to'a simple toilet paper dispenser'which contains one roll of toilet paper, one or more such rolls which serve as a reserve. The intention is that when the roll in the dispenser is exhausted there is always a further roll available, despite the fact that an attendant is usually not in the position to replenish the dispenser immediately a roll is used up in the-latter.

It has been found however that publicly accessible reserves of toilet rolls are fi'equently misappropriated.

To counter this, various forms of toilet paper dispenser have been suggested or used which receive two rolls of toilet paper in a housing so that they are proofagainst theft. To ensure that the two rolls are not used simultaneously, and so could become empty atabout the same time as one another, the-arrangement has been so devised that initially only one roll is accessible, and the roll which serves as a reserve remains covered and can only be made accessible when the first used roll is expendedand the core of the latter is removed. For antitheft reasons it is arranged that the core of the used roll can only be removed when the roll is practically empty.

The known toilet paper dispensers of this kind are of complicated construction and do not operate reliably where the dimensions of the rolls of toilet paper do not conform to preset dimensions, for example with rolls of various manufacturers or rolls which have been compressed during transport.

In an earlier invention, at this time unpublished, and which deals with these problems, the present inventors have constructed inter alia a toilet paper dispenser in which a utility roll and a reserve roll are pushed co-axially side-by-side on to a rod-form support which is mounted at its central part. The reserve roll is disposed behind a displaceable cover wall which can only be moved to expose the reserve roll when the core of the utility roll has been removed. This core, in turn, can only be pushed or drawn off the support when it is practically empty. The fact that the replenishing of the dispenser of this earlier invention is relatively troublesome must be regarded as a disadvantage. Thus when replenishment is to take place, the housing must be opened, the reserve roll in use removed from the support and after the cover wall hasbeen pushed back brought into the place of the utility roll. The fresh roll 1 which is to be introduced is inserted in place of the reserve roll. The object of the present invention is to overcome all the various disadvantages set forth and to provide a toilet paper dispenser which is in many ways similar to that just described, but in which after a roll has been used up each time, a fresh roll can readily be introduced in place of the roll which has just been used up, whilst the other roll is in use, without having to vary the position of the roller which is in use or that of the cover wall.

The subject of the invention is a toilet paper dispenser with a housing adapted to receive two rolls of toilet paper such that paper can be withdrawn from the first roll through an opening in the housing whilst the other roll remains enclosed in the housing, and means for making said other roll accessible after the first roll has been used up and the core thereof removed, the said housing being of a construction such as to preclude removal of the core of said first roll until this core is practically empty, characterised by the fact that the housing has arranged therein a rod-form support which is mounted at the midpart and projects freely to both sides of this midpart so enabling the rolls of toilet paper to be pushed from the two sides into a co-axial side-by-side position, after a cover of the housing has been opened; this housing cover has side walls which approach the free ends of the support leaving a radial gap of a width such that only a practically empty roll core can be drawn or pushed off axially from these ends, but not a full roll; that the housing further has a covering wall which is displaceable parallel to the support, this wall at any one time covering one end of the support, or one of the two rolls of toilet paper; and that there are displaceably mounted in and/or on the support abutment means which, when in their center position in which they project radially from the support midway along the latter, cooperate with stop surfaces on the covering wall in order to prevent displacement of the covering wall to expose the roll then covered bythe latter, insofar as an adjustment of the abutment means itself is prevented by the uncovered roll, the abutment means being retracted from the path of travel of the stop surfaces when these means are moved from the center position by a predetermined amount.

Theadjustability of the abutment means may reside in these means being axially displaceable relatively to the support. There are various possible ways in which the abutment means, moved from thecentral'position, can be displaced from the path of travel of the stop surfaces on the covering wall. A first possibility in accordance with this invention resides in making the axially displaceable abutment means additionally pivotable about the axis of the support. Means are then provided on the support for positive turning of the abutment means out of the path of travel of the stop surfaces when the abutment means are shifted'from their central position. Another possibility in accordance with theinvention resides in the fact that one part of the axially displaceable abutment means can also bemoved radially to the axis'of the support and out of the path of travel 'of the stop surfaces, and again by a means provided on the support during axial displacement of the abutment means.

'In another and preferred embodiment of the invention the adjustability of the abutment means may be provided for by the fact that the abutment means are mounted for pivoting about an axis which intersects or crosses the axis of the support substantially midway along the support. This construction caters for a particularly simple and reliable operating arrangement.

'Preferred embodiments of the toilet paper dispenser according to the invention are illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings. In these drawings:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view from above of a toilet paperdispenser, the housing cover being depicted in dotted lines, i.e. in phantom outline, to assist reading,

FIG. 2 is a vertical section through the toilet paper dispenser of FIG. 1 taken on the line.II-II of FIG. 3,

FIG. 3 is a view of the dispenser seen from below, and in section on the line III-III ofFlG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a vertical section similar to that of FIG. 2 but showing a modified arrangement,

FIG. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section through the rod-like support in the modified construction of FIG. 4, and

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic perspective view from below of another embodiment of the toilet paper dispenser in accordance with the invention, the housing cover again being shown in dotted lines or in phantom outline.

The toilet paper dispensers illustrated in each case have a horizontally disposed, I'I-form frame with a rear limb l and a front limb 2 which are interconnected by a connecting web 3 (in FIGS. 1 to 3) or two parallel webs 3" (in FIG. 6). The rear limb l is for example, as indicated in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, fastened by means (not shown) to a wall W of a toilet.

Disposed between the two frame elements 1 and 2 and parallel thereto is a rod form support tube which is fastened midway along its length to the connecting web 3 or the two connecting webs 3", as the case may be. In FIGS. 1 to 3 the support tube is designated 4, whilst in FIGS. 4 and 5 it is denoted 4' and in FIG. 6 it is marked 4". The support tube projects freely outwards at its two ends.

Pivotally hinged about an axis 7 in the vicinity of the lower edge of the front frame limb 2 is a housing cover 5. This housing cover 5 may be fastened in its closed condition, as illus trated in the drawings, by a key-operated lock (not shown). The cover 5 has two side walls 5a the lower margin of which has recesses for reception of the free ends of the support tube 4, 4 or 4". In the zone of these recesses the side walls 50 encroach on the free ends of the support tube but stop short a radial distance a therefrom, leaving a gap through which a practically empty core of a roll of toilet paper (not shown) mounted on the support tube can be axially drawn or pushed,

but which is such that a full or only partially used roll of toile paper on the support tube is held back by side wall 5a.

It is apparent that the construction described is symmetrical in relation to a vertical central plane at right angles to the axis of the support tube 4 or 4 or 4. When the housing cover Sis swung up from the closed position illustrated in the counter clockwise direction about the axis 6 into an open position, two rolls of toilet paper (not shown) can be slipped from the two ends into a position in which they are disposed co-axially sideby-side on the support tube. r The housing of the toilet paper dispenser illustrated also has a lower. covering .wall 7 which is guided in guideways in the lower margins of the frame limbs 1 and.2 and is displaceable parallel to the support tube 4, 4' or 4f The'axial length of the coverwall 7 is about equal to or a trifle greater than the axial length of a roll of toilet paper. When this cover wall, as illustrated in the drawings, is in its lefthand end position it covers the roll of toilet paper which has been pushed on to the ,lefthand half of the support tube, so preventing any paper being withdrawn from this roll. The housing is, in contrast,

open below the roll of toilet paper on the righthand half of the support tube.

The toilet paper dispenser is provided centrally in each case with an adjustable abutment member which-when it is in a center position, cooperates with a stop surface 'on the displaceable covering wall 7 and prevents displacement of the covering wall from one side to the other. This displacement can only take place when the abutment member is moved out of its center position. This abutment member, which projects radially downwards from the support tube, is itself however held in its center position by the rolls of toilet paper on the two ends of .the support tubeand can only be moved when the empty core of one roll is slipped out axially through gap a.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3 theadjustable abutment member is in the form of an abutment finger 9 which projects radially downwards from a cylindrical body 8 which is displaceably and rotatably mounted in the support tube 4, and passes through a longitudinal slot 10 in the wall of support tube 4. ln the normal position, as illustrated in the drawings, the abutment finger 9 hangs downwards under gravity. The lower end of the abutment finger 9 cooperates with an abutment block 12 on the displaceable cover wall 7, the end faces of this block constituting stop faces llfor finger 9. As long as the abutment finger 9 remains in the center position illustrated the cover wall 7 cannot be pushed from one side to the other, that is to say the enclosedroll of toilet paper is not accessible. The abutment finger 9, together with the body 8 is however displaceable along the support tube 4; the obviously however, it cannot be pushed to any substantial degree towards one end of the support tube 4 whilst there is a roll of toilet paper at this end,,the abutment finger strikingthe roll of toilet paper. It is only when this roll is used up that the practically empty core thereof can be pushed through the gap a by means. of the abutment finger.

The operation of the toilet roll dispenser according to FIGS. 1 to 3 is the following:

The dispenser is first filled, to which end two rolls of toilet paper are slipped on to the two ends of the support tube with the housing cover 5 open, whereupon this cover is closed again to prevent the rolls being stolen. The abutment finger 9 is then between the two rollers in the center position illustrated and the cover walls 7, with its stop surfaces 11, at one side or the other to enclose one of the two rolls. The enclosed roll then serves as a reserve roll, whereas paper can be drawn from the other roll through the open lower side of the housing. As previously explained the abutment finger prevents any displacement of the cover wall to the other side until the roll in use is expended.

When the first roll is used up the next user has only to'push the cover wall 7 to the other side to make the second'roll available. When this happens the stop surface 11 moves the abutment finger 9 with it which in turn knocks the empty roller core out through gap a. In the embodiment illustrated 11. The cover wall 7 can thus be moved again, whilst the abutment finger 9 remains stationary at the end of slot 10.

Whilst the second roll is now in use, a new reserve roll can be inserted in the dispenser by the attendant at any suitable time. For this purpose only the housing cover 5 needs to be opened and the fresh reserve roll can be pushed onto the empty end of the support tube 4 now covered by wall 7. The abutment finger located at the end of slot 10 is pushed back to its central position automatically in response to the introduction of the fresh reserve roll. When this happens the lower end of the abutment finger first of all slides a further distance over the front rim 13 of the-abutment block 12 until it has reached the end of this block. The abutment finger then drops under gravity action back into the vertical center position illustrated, thereby preventing the cover wall 7 from beingpushed back, until the roll in use is used up. u

It is apparent that the dispenser is back operationally in its starting position, merely with the 'cover'wall '7 on theother side from that which it had initially; and the positions of the reserve roll and the utility roll are exchanged. Further use and servicing of the dispenser can thus proceed as previously described.'A new roll of toilet paper can simply be slipped, at each appropriate occasion, by the attendant on to the covered empty half of the support tube; grasping of the roll in use, which might in some instances be unhygenic, is thus notnecessary.

It is clear that various details of the toilet paper dispenser illustratedin FIGS. 1 to 3 can be varied without losing the advantages'described. The abutment finger could for example projectforwardly instead of projecting vertically downwards,

for example being mounted in guide grooves in the tube.

The facility for pivoting the abutment finger about the axis I of the support is not necessary in every instance. Other methods could also be used to arrange that the abutment finger, when it is away from its center positioncan be moved out of the path of movement of the abutment surfaces 11, and can be brought back into the center position over the abutment block 12 on insertion of a fresh roll of toilet paper. A

construction modified in this way is for example illustrated in 'FIGS. 4and 5.

In accordance with these figures a body 8' is arranged in the support tube 4' and is merelymovable longitudinally of this tube. A downwardly extending abutment finger 9 .is guided for vertical displacement in body 8'. This finger 9 is normally urged into its lower end position (as illustrated) by a spring 14. The body '8' carries four upper wheels 15, and two lower wheels 16 are mounted on the abutment finger 9. These wheelslS and 16' run on inner surfaces of the support tube 4. It will be seen that, when it is in the center position illustrated, the abutment finger 9' cooperates in exactly the same way with the abutment surfaces 11 as does the abutment finger 9 in the FIGS. 1 to 3 construction. When, after a roll of toilet paperhas been used up, the abutment finger 9' with body 8 is moved by the cover wall 7 (the abutment finger pushing the empty core of the roll off the support tube), the

wheels 16 run up wedge surfaces 17 in the vicinity of the end of support tube 4'. As a result the abutment finger 9', which is mounted on wheels 16, is lifted against the action of spring 14 and retracted to some extend into body 8, whereby the lower end of abutment finger 9 is released from the abutment surfaces 11 concerned and, when the cover wall. 7 is moved further, stands above the upper side of the abutment block 12. The abutment means 8, 9' can thus be pushed back into the mean position when a fi'esh roll oftoilet paper is inserted, the lower end of the abutment finger 9f sliding over the upper side of the abutment block 12.

FIG. 6 diagrammatically illustrates an embodiment of the toilet paper dispenser of the invention in which the abutment member is not displaceable along the support tube but is pivotable about an axis which intersects the support axis in the middle of the support. In accordance with FIG. 6 an abutment means 9" is arranged centrally of the toilet paper dispenser between the two connecting webs 3", these means being mounted for rotation about a pivot pin (not shown). This pivot pin, theaxis of which is designated 8", is mounted at its leading end in the front wall of support tube 4", the rear wall of which is here cut away, and at its rear end is mounted in the rear limb l of the frame. The pivotal axis 8 of the abutment means 9' and the longitudinal axis of support 4 intersect or cross at right angles midway along the tube. The abutment means 9" comprises an arm 9a which projects down below the support tube 4'-' between two rolls of toilet paper on the two ends of the tube, and a lug 9 b which is arranged behind the arm 9a and is rigid with the latter. Lug 9b extends rearwards into the path of movement of the end surfaces 11" of the cover wall 7, wherefore these end surfaces form stop surfaces with which the abutment member 9" cooperates in its normal position (i.e. that illustrated) to prevent displacement of the cover wall 7 from one side to the other. The enclosed roll of toilet paper is thus not accessible whilst there is still a roll of toilet paper on the other end of the support tube 4" to prevent pivoting of the abutment means 9" (because the arm 9a would strike it). It is only when this latter and accessible roll of toilet paper is used up that the practically empty core thereof can be pulled or pushed off laterally through the gap 0, and it is only then possible to turn the abutment means 9" towards this side. Such turning of the abutment means, performed by displacement of cover wall 7, then finally causes the lug 9b to be pivoted up out of the path of the end surfaces 11" of the cover wall 7, thereby allowing displacement of the cover wall to the other side, and making accessible the roll of toilet paper which has hitherto been enclosed.

Here also the operation is of course similar to that of the toilet paper dispenser according to FIGS. 1 to 3. After the dispenser has been charged the abutment means 9" are in the center position illustrated between the two toilet paper rolls, and the lug 9b thereof prevents displacement of the cover wall 7 to make the enclosed reserve roll available. When the first roll has been used up, it is possible to turn abutment means 9' because the empty roll core can be pushed by the arm 9a through gap a. Thus the cover wall 7 can now be moved by pivoting the abutment means the roll which has up to that time been enclosed. During the displacement of the cover wall 7 the lower edge of the pivoted lug 9b slides over the rear upper edge of the cover wall, and when finally the cover wall is at the other end and is again released from lug 9b, the abutment means 9" pivots under gravity back into the position illustrated in the drawing. A fresh reserve roll can at any suitable time be simply pushed on to the empty half of the support tube 4" enclosed by the cover wall 7, the dispenser then being operationally in its starting condition (with the enclosed reserve roll at the opposite side than was the case in the preceding situation).

It will be understood that various devices, not illustrated and known per se, can be arranged in the toilet paper dispensers illustrated to facilitate the use thereof. Thus for example braking flaps could be provided on the carrier 4 or 4 r0 4' for braking the core of the roll which is in use at any particular time, these flaps being spring pressed from inside against the core of the roll.

What we claim is:

1. A toilet paper dispenser comprising in combination:

a housing having a housing cover which is movable between 'an open and closed position;

a rod-form support mounted at its midpart in the housing and projecting freely to both sides of this midpart towards two free ends so as to enable two rolls of toilet paper to be pushed onto the support from the two sides into a co-axial side-by-side position when said housing cover is in its open'position;

two side walls on said housing cover which, when said housing is in its closed position, approach the two free ends of the support leaving a radial gap of a width such that only a practically empty roll core can be moved off axially from these ends, .but not a full r'oll;

said housing further comprising a covering wall which is displaceable parallel to said support and which, at any one time, covers one end of the support and any roll of toilet paper on this one end, whereas paper can then be withdrawn from any roll on the other end of the support which is not covered by said covering wall;

stop surfaces on said covering wall; and

abutment means movably mounted in said support and having a center position in which they radially project from the support midway along the latter and in which they cooperated with said stop surfaces in order to prevent displacement of the covering wall to expose the roll then covered by the latter, as long as substantial motion of the abutment means from said center position is prevented by the uncovered roll whose core, in turn, is axially movable on said support only when this core is practically empty,

said abutment means being retracted from the path of displacement of said stop surfaces when these means are moved from said center position by a predetermined amount.

2. A toilet paper dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein said abutment means are mounted for axial displacement in said support.

3. A toilet paper dispenser as claimed in claim 2, wherein said abutment means are additionally pivotable about the axis of said support out of the path of displacement of said stop surfaces and wherein means are provided on said support for positive turning of the abutment means, for the purpose of releasing them from engagement with said stop surfaces, on displacement of the abutment means from said center positron.

4. A toilet paper dispenser as claimed in claim 2, wherein a part of said abutment means is additionally displaceable radially to the axis of said support out of the path of displacement of said stop surfaces and wherein means are provided on said support for positive radial retraction of the said part, for the purpose of releasing the engagement with said stop surfaces, during axial displacement of the abutment means from said center position.

5. A toilet paper dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein said abutment means are mounted for pivoting about an axis which crosses the axis of said support substantially midway along the support. 

1. A toilet paper dispenser comprising in combination: a housing having a housing cover which is movable between an open and a closed position; a rod-form support mounted at its midpart in the housing and projecting freely to both sides of this midpart towards two free ends so as to enable two rolls of toilet paper to be pushed onto the support from the two sides into a co-axial side-by-side position when said housing cover is in its open position; two side walls on said housing cover which, when said housing Cover is in its closed position, approach the two free ends of the support leaving a radial gap of a width such that only a practically empty roll core can be moved off axially from these ends, but not a full roll; said housing further comprising a covering wall which is displaceable parallel to said support and which, at any one time, covers one end of the support and any roll of toilet paper on this one end, whereas paper can then be withdrawn from any roll on the other end of the support which is not covered by said covering wall; stop surfaces on said covering wall; and abutment means movably mounted in said support and having a center position in which they radially project from the support midway along the latter and in which they cooperate with said stop surfaces in order to prevent displacement of the covering wall to expose the roll then covered by the latter, as long as substantial motion of the abutment means from said center position is prevented by the uncovered roll whose core, in turn, is axially movable on said support only when this core is practically empty, said abutment means being retracted from the path of displacement of said stop surfaces when these means are moved from said center position by a predetermined amount.
 2. A toilet paper dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein said abutment means are mounted for axial displacement in said support.
 3. A toilet paper dispenser as claimed in claim 2, wherein said abutment means are additionally pivotable about the axis of said support out of the path of displacement of said stop surfaces and wherein means are provided on said support for positive turning of the abutment means, for the purpose of releasing them from engagement with said stop surfaces, on displacement of the abutment means from said center position.
 4. A toilet paper dispenser as claimed in claim 2, wherein a part of said abutment means is additionally displaceable radially to the axis of said support out of the path of displacement of said stop surfaces and wherein means are provided on said support for positive radial retraction of the said part, for the purpose of releasing the engagement with said stop surfaces, during axial displacement of the abutment means from said center position.
 5. A toilet paper dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein said abutment means are mounted for pivoting about an axis which crosses the axis of said support substantially midway along the support. 